Detergent polyelectrolyte builders

ABSTRACT

Synthetic detergents are prepared having improved cleaning power using polyacrylic acid salts. For example, sodium polyacrylate of controlled molecular weight is an excellent substitute for the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;suspect&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; phosphate builder-sequestrant presently used in household detergent compositions. Regardless of the merit of the charge that detergent phosphates are the primary cause of eutrophication in our lakes and rivers, the search for phosphatefree detergents intensifies daily. The polyacrylates described herein provide a very effective and attractive answer to the controversy.

United States Patent Martin et al.

[54] DETERGENT POLYELECTROLYTE BUILDERS [73] Assignee: CelaneseCorporation, New York,

[22] Filed: Dec. 8, 1970 [21] App1.No.: 96,259

[52] US. Cl. ..252/156, 252/89, 252/135, '252/136, 252/142, 252/534,252/553 [51] Int. Cl. ..Cl 1d 7/06 [58] Field of Search ..252/89,135,136, 137, 138, 252/142, 152, 161, 156

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 451,342 7/1936 Great Britain ..252/1 35666,119 7/1963 Canada ..252/135 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Surface Active AgentsSchwartz & Perry, Vol. I (1949) PP. 234-35.

Primary Examiner-Mayer Weinblatt Attorney-Thomas J. Morgan, MarvinTurken and Charles E. Miller [57] ABSTRACT Synthetic detergents areprepared having improved cleaning power using polyacrylic acid salts.For example, sodium polyacrylate of controlled molecular weight is anexcellent substitute for the suspect phosphate builder-sequestrantpresently used in household detergent compositions. Regardless of themerit of the charge that detergent phosphates are the primary cause ofeutrophication in our lakes and rivers, the search for phosphate-freedetergents intensifies daily. The polyacrylates described herein providea very effective and attractive answer to the controversy.

9 Claims, N0 Drawings DETERGENT POLYELECTROLYTE BUILDERS BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION The word affluent has several meanings, one of them being:a tributary stream; the word effluent likewise has several meanings, oneof them being: sewage after purification treatment. In our modem,affluent (opulent) society there are those who contend that the worstenemy of the affluent is the effluent.

Whether or not this contention is proved or disproved, it has had aprofound influence on the manufacturers of detergent compositions andtheir suppliers of inorganic phosphates. The phosphate which receivesthe greatest criticism is sodium tripolyphosphate STPP, abuilder-sequestrant which improves the cleaning power of heavy .dutydetergents and is used, generally, in concentrations of better than 2:1,builder to detergent. The most commonly used detergent is sodiumdodecylbenzene sulfonate.

According to those who would ban phosphates (annual use about 2.0billion pounds at present), effluent containing these phosphatespollutes our rivers, streams and lakes by causing eutrophication, i.e.,excessive growth of algae.

Attempts to substitute the phosphate builder-sequestrants have met withquestionable success. For instance, the trisodium salt ofnitrilotriacetic acid SNTA has been used in partial replacement of STPPbut there is great hesistancy to use it unrestrainedly. Why? There isinsufficient evidence that it will be safe for humans and theenvironment, particularly when used in large quantities. Assurance isbeing sought with respect to its physiological effects, itsdecomposition products, and the possibility that its chelatingproperties might give rise to usually high concentrations of lead andother metals in receiving waters.

Even if the putrefaction argument were proven false, sodiumtripolyphosphate has the disadvantage of losing its sequestering powerwhen formulated as a solution, i.e., it degenerates into theorthophosphate.

It should be understood that any material which is selected for use as abuilder must exhibit good cleaning power under actual washingconditions. It pays, however, in selecting a candidate, to look forproperties such as: ability to sequester, stability in solution,buffering action, hot and cold water solubility, emulsifying ability,soil suspension qualities, biodegradability, and the like. Of course,unit cost of the candidate vis-a-vis STPP is important. At present, forinstance, the sodium salt of nitrilotriacetic acid is better than threetimes the cost of STPP. Obviously, if the candidate is three times moreeffective, i.e., much less thereof is required'for comparable cleaningpower, the disproportionate unit cost can be obviated. To date, however,the prior art has not come up with a substitute for STPP which iseconomically attractive.

Polyelectrolytes as detergent builders have previously been investigatedwith varying degrees of success. U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,067 to FL. Diehlteaches the use, in conventional detergent compositions, ofwater-soluble salts of polyelectrolyte builders, such as poly(maleicacid), poly(itaconic acid), poly(fumaric acid), poly(citraconic acid),and other like aliphatic polycarboxylic acids, as well as copolymersthereof with, say, alkylenes and monocarboxylic acids, e.g., acrylicacid, methacrylic acid. While a smaller amount of these polyelcctrolytesis needed to provide cleaning effects comparable to STPP, the unit costdifferential still favors the latter.

British Pat. No. 935,733 discloses detergents of the alkylaryl sulfonatevariety in which a water-soluble salt of a copolymer of acrylic acidand/or methacrylic acid with vinyl-sulfonate ispresent in small amountsas an anti-redeposition agent. By comparison, sodium salts ofpolyacrylic acid alone have little effect, according to the patent.

British Pat. No. 451,342 (1936), on the other hand, teaches the additionof sodium polyacrylate and an alkali or ammonium salt of orthophosphoricacid, e.g., trisodium phosphate, to washing agents which are stable tothe salts that cause the hardness of water, the additive preventing theprecipitation of .inorganic metal salts. The patent notes that This factis surprising, since polymeric carboxylic acids without addition ofphosphates do not prevent the formation of precipitates on textiles whenthey are being washed.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,332,880 to Kessler, et al. discloses three componentdetergent compositions comprising (A) a mixture of double-bond'positional isomers of water-soluble salts of alkene lsulfonic acidscontaining from about 10 to about 24 carbon atoms, (B) a mixture ofwater-soluble salts of bifunctionally-substituted sulfur-containingsaturated aliphatic compounds containing from about 10 to about 24carbon atoms, the functional units being hydroxy and sulfonate radicals,and (C) a mixture comprising from 30-95 percent water-soluble salts ofalkene disulfonates containing from about 10 to about 24 carbon atoms,and from about 5 to about percent water-soluble salts of hydroxydisulfonates containing from about 10 to about 24 carbon atoms. Thedetergent compositions usually contain, in admixture, water-solubleinorganic and organic alkaline builder-sequestrants, e.g., sodiumtripolyphosphate, sodium polyacrylate, sodium nitrilotriacetate, and thelike.

Other well known detergent active compounds may be admixed withcomponents (A), (B), and (C), above, e.g., anionic, nonionic, ampholyticand. zwitterionic synthetic detergents. One example in the patent,Example 111 coupled with Table III, shows a mixture ofdetergent/builder, viz., sodium-4-hydroxy-n-hexadecyl-lsulfonate/sodiumpolyacrylate, wherein the ratio is 1:5, parts by weight. It is not clearwhat the total composition is, or what its efficacy is, let alone theexact nature of the sodium polyacrylate used.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,9l6 to Zimmie et al. discloses the use of sodiumpolyacrylate as a flocculating agent for fluidizing silt deposits incooling systems using river, lake or bay water containing mud and likecontaminants. In other words, accumulations of mud, rust and silt in thejackets or pipings of cooling systems can be prevented or removed byflushing the system with a small amount of water-soluble,polyelectrolytic organic polymer, typically sodium polyacrylate.

Surface Active Agents, Their Chemistry and Technology, by Anthony M.Schwartz and James W. Perry, 1949, lnterscience Publishers, Inc., NewYork, p. 235, in discussing organic builders and mixtures statesbroadly: Sodium polyacrylate has been used as a thickening agent and abuilder for synthetic detergents. Further authors sayeth not.

It is obvious from the above patents and literature that polyacrylicacid salts have been used in detergent compositions in relatively minorroles. Attempts have been made to recognize their anti-redepositionproperties in conjunction with other polymers, their flocculatingattributes, their additive effect as builders in .combination withproven agents, e.g., sodium tripolyphosphate. Alkali metal, ammonium orsubstituted-amrnonium salts of polyacrylic acid have apparently nevergone it alone. The present invention.

demonstrates quite conclusively that sodium polyacrylate, for instance,is anything but an also-ran.

It can be readily appreciated that polymeric acrylic acids and theirsalts come in many different molecular weights. The patents andliterature discussed hereinabove are, for the most part, quite silent asto the inherent viscosity (I.V.), a measure of polymer molecular weight,and'other physical properties of the various polyacrylic acid saltssuggested as flocculating and antiredeposition agents. As will beevident hereinafter, the art could not and did not recognize theadvantages provided by the present discovery. Clearly the art relegatedthe polyacralytes to a lesser role in the race to upgrade detergentcompositions. Clearly the'art had no concept of the efficacy of thesepolyacrylates as fullfledged substitutes for the suspect phosphate andother builder-sequestrants. In fact, as will also be seen hereinafter,attempts to combine alkali metal polyacrylates having the physicalproperties contemplated herein with, say, STPP to make up apredetermined builder-sequestrant concentration have resulted in detergency compositions which gave less desirable detergency'values(cleaning power) when compared with the same predetermined concentrationof, say, sodium polyacrylate only.

-Very possibly the art was concerned, as it should have been, thatalkali metal polyacrylates at higher molecular weights might tend toflocculate and become a redeposition problem themselves. By virtue ofthe present discovery, however, this inhibition has been eliminated.Quite surprisingly, it has been found, the relatively high molecularweight alkali metal polyacrylates are very effectivebuilder-sequestrants which exhibit superior cleaning power.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to replaceinconventional detergent compositions all of the builder-sequestrantcommonly used, be it a phosphate, sodium nitrilotriacetic acid, or thelike.

Another object of the instant invention is to substitute saidbuilder-sequestrants with an alkali metal, ammonium or substitutedammonium polyacrylate of predetermined molecular weight.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide detergentbuilder-sequestrants equal to and better than the previously proposedphosphate-free builders, e.g., the trisodium salt of nitriloacetic acidSNTA, the latter itself being suspect" and at least three times asexpensive as STPP.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention awashing composition is prepared in which are present as essentialcomponents an active synthetic organic detergent and an organic alkalinebuilder-sequestrant salt. More particularly, the novel detergentcomposition of the tive ingredient sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate andbuilder ingredient sodium polyacrylate'having an inherent viscosity of0.8 in 2N sodium hydroxide, l.V.

being a measure of molecular weight. Obviously the efficacy of thebuilder-sequestrant will vary depending upon the concentration thereofwith respect to the synthetic organic detergent component and the totaldetergent composition. For example, it has been found that at aconcentration of 20 percent sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, based uponthe total formulation (100 percent), excellent results are achieved whenusing about 40 percent sodium polyacrylate, the remaining 40 percent ofthe formulation comprising additives, such as inorganic alkaline salts,e.g., silicates, carbonates and sulfates, anti-redeposition agents, suchas sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), perfume, coloring agents,bleaching compounds, and many other ingredients which are widely andgenerally used to improve the overall performance and aestheticcharacteristics of detergent compositions, such as antitamishing agents,bactericidal agents, fluorescers, germicidal agents, and the like.

The concentration of active detergent and buildersequestrant best suitedfor the novel detergent compositions of the present invention isgenerally based upon the end use intended for each composition.Obviously, a light duty detergent composition, such as that used fordishwashing or for washing delicate apparel, would not require as high aconcentration of active and/or builder-sequestrant as would a heavy dutycomposition used for laundering soiled outerwear clothing. In general,the concentration of active detergent ranges from about 10 to about 30percent, preferably from about 15 to about 25 percent, based upon thetotal formulation as defined hereinabove.

As to the builder-sequestrant contemplated herein, a concentration inthe range of about 8 to about 60 per cent, preferably from about 10 to40 percent, likewise based upon the above-defined total formulation, isbest suited for the present invention.

The ratio of active detergent to builder-sequestrant suitable for theinstant invention may also vary significantly, depending upon end useintended for the detergent composition. Generally, a ratio of about 1:5to about 2:1, active/builder-sequestrant, is preferred, but ratios inthe range of about 1 to 10, or greater, and 5 to 1 may be used.

The detergent compositions of the present invention are usually used ata pH in aqueous solution of from about 8 to about 12.5, preferably fromabout 9 to about ll. Furthermore, the novel compositions are effectivein a wide range of wash water temperatures. Preferably, however,temperatures in the range of 45 to 200 F are used, best results beingachieved in the mid range, say, from about to about F.

While sodium polyacrylate is demonstrated as one of the preferredpolyacrylic acid salts, other water-soluble alkali metal salts, e.g.,potassium, lithium, are contemplated herein, as well as water-solubleammonium and substituted ammonium-salts, such as methylamine andtriethylamine salts. Of course, mixtures of these polyacrylate salts maybe used effectively under the conditions and concentrations describedherein.

Again, while the alkali metal salts of dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid havebeen singled out hereinbefore as very desirable active detergents(surfactants) for use with the novel builder-sequestrants of the presentinvention, other anionic surface active compounds may be used veryeffectively in the concentrations and ratios given above. Anionicsurface active compounds can be broadly described as compounds whichcontain hydrophilic or lypophilic groups in their molecular structureand which ionize in an aqueous medium to give anions containing thelyophilic group. These compounds include the sulfated or sulfonatedalkyl, aryl and alkyl aryl hydrocarbons and alkali metal salts thereof,for example, sodium salts of long chain alkyl sulfates, sodium salts ofalkyl naphthalene sulfonic acids, sodium salts of sulfonated abietenes,sodium salts of alkyl benzene sulfonic acids, particularly those inwhich the alkyl group contains from eight to 24 carbon atoms, sodiumsalts of sulfonated mineral oils and sodium salts of sulfosuccinic acidesters, such as sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate.

Advantageous anionic surfactants include the higher alkyl aryl sulfonicacids and their alkali metal and alkaline earth metal salts, such as,for example, sodium tridecyl sulfonate, magnesium dodecyl benzenesulfonate, potassium tetradecyl benzene sulfonate, ammonium dodecyltoluene sulfonate, lithium pentadecyl benzene sulfonate, sodium dioctylbenzene sulfonate, disodium dodecyl benzene disulfonate, disodiumdiisopropyl naphthalene disulfonate, and the like, as well as the alkalimetal salts of fatty alcohol esters of sulfuric and sulfonic acids, thealkali metal salts of alkyl aryl (sulfothioic acid) ethers and the alkylthiosulfuric acid, etc. Preferred anionic organic surface active agentsare, as noted hereinbefore, sodium salts of alkyl benzene sulfonic acidsand particularly preferred sodium salts of alkyl benzene sulfonic acidsare those in which the alkyl group or radical contains to 18 carbonatoms in a straight i.e., unbranched) chain.

As indicated hereinabove, nonionic surface active compounds may be usedas the active detergent. Nonionic surface active compounds can bebroadly described as compounds which do not ionize but usually acquirehydrophilic characteristics from an oxygenated side chain, such aspolyoxyethylene, while the lyophilic part of the molecule may come fromfatty acids, phenols, alcohols, amides oramines. Examples of nonionicsurfactants include products formed by condensing one or more alkyleneoxides of two to four atoms, such as ethylene oxide or propylene oxide,preferably ethylene oxide alone or with other alkylene oxides, with arelatively hydrophobic compound, such as a fatty alcohol, fatty acid,sterol, a fatty glyceride, a fatty amine, an aryl amine, a fattymercaptan, tall oil, etc. Nonionic surface active agents also includethose products produced by condensing one or more relatively lower alkylalcohol amines (such as methanolamine, ethanolamine, propanolamine,etc.) with a fatty acid such as lauric acid, cetyl acid, tall oil fattyacid, abietic acid, etc., to produce the corresponding amide.

Still other nonionic surface active compounds include the amine oxidesand phosphine oxides and preferably the unsymmetrical trialkyl-amineoxides and phosphine oxides wherein two of the alkyl groups are loweralkyl groups (1 to 4 carbon atoms) and the third alkyl group is a higheralkyl group (eight to 18 carbon atoms). Examples includedimethyldodecylamine oxide, dimethyldodecylphosphine oxide,dimethyltetradecyl amine oxide, dimethyltetradecyl phosphine oxide,diethylhexadecylamine oxide, adecylphosphine oxide, and the like.

Particularly advantageous nonionic surface active agents arecondensation products of a hydrophobic compound having at least oneactive hydrogen atom and a lower alkylene oxide (for example, thecondensation product of an aliphatic alcohol containing from about eightto about 18 carbon atoms) and from about three to about 30 mols ofethylene oxide per mol of the alcohol, or the condensation product of analkyl phenol containing from about eight to about 18 carbon atoms in thealkyl group and from three to about 30 mols of ethylene oxide per mol ofalkyl phenol. Other advantageous nonionic detergents includecondensation products of ethylene oxide with a hydrophobic compoundformed by condensing propylene oxide with propylene glycol.

The detergent compositions of the present invention may be made intoliquid solutions, granules, flakes, tablets or bars. Regardless of form,however, only small concentrations of these novel detergent compositionsare needed in an aqueous medium to realize excellent cleaning power.Generally less than about 0.2 percent by weight, based upon the combinedweight of the detergent composition and water, will provide detergentvalues which are as good and better than those of the conventionaldetergents presently enjoying the greatest commercial success.

Evidence of the effectiveness of the novel detergent compositions of thepresent invention is presented hereinafter with a view to providingillustrative compositions within the purview of the present invention.The person skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the specificembodiments in the following examples and illustrations are just that,illustrative and not unduly restrictive:

diethylhex- EXAMPLE 1 Sodium polyacrylate builder-sequestrant wasprepared by first polymerizing acrylic acid and then reacting theresulting polyacrylic acid with NaOH Polyacrylic acid of suitablemolecular weight, as determined by inherent viscosities within the rangespecified hereinabove, was prepared by using a 2-liter round bottomflask having two (2) superimposed calibrated dropping funnels from whichacrylic acid monomer and catalyst sodium persulfate were fed separatelyand continuously into the 2-liter flask. To record the temperature ofthe reaction mixture a thermometer was inserted into the mixture throughthe mouth of the flask; to control the reaction temperature the 2-literflask was placed in a hot water bath.

Into the flask was placed 690 cc. of H4), and 10 percent of the totalmonomer feed of 250 cc., as well as 10 cc. of the total catalystsolution (1.2 grams Na,S,0 in 60 cc. of water) and the resulting mixtureheated to 80 C., the hot water in the bath reading 81 C. The remainderof the total monomer and catalyst solution was added continuously andtemperature readings taken at 10-minute intervals and recorded as shown:

TABLE 1 Remaining Remaining The reaction mixture, subsequent to additionof all monomer and catalyst, was maintained at 95 C for 2 hours and thencooled to room temperature. The resulting 25 percent (wt.) polyacrylicacid solution, subjected to viscosity measurement, indicated an inherentviscosity (l.V.) of 0.80, a measure of its molecular weight.

The procedure for measuring viscosity lows:

SCOPE: Provides the inherent viscosity of a 0.5 per cent (wt.) solutionof polyacrylic acid.

REAGENT: 2N Nal-l v APPARATUS: Cannon-Fenske Series 75 viscometer.Constant temperature (25$ 002 C) water bath. (Both above items sold byCannon Instrument Co.) Stop watch capable of reading 0.1

second. Rubber bulb (ca. 4 oz.) on vacuum source.

PROCEDURE:

1. Prepare in 100 mil. volumetric flask a 0.5 percent (wt.) solution ofpolymer in 2N NaOH by adding 0.5g. polymer/100 mil. solution at 25 C.Shake to dissolve.

2. Pipet mil. of same solvent used to prepare sample into series 75Cannon-Fenske viscometer which has been firmly clamped in true verticalposition in bath. Allow to equilibrate. Using rubber bulb or vacuumsource, draw liquid into upper bulb above fiducial mark. Allow to drain,and accurately time flow between upper and lower marks. This is solventflow time t Repeat operation (2) to check flow time. It should be within$0.3 second.

3. Clean viscometer and repeat (2) with polymer solution. Resultobtained is solution flow time t,.

CALCULATIONS: The inherent viscosity [1 inh. is

given approximately by:

lnt lt lC UNITS: 1 1 inh. dL/g.; c in gJdL The 25 percent (wt.)polyacrylic solution having a viscosity (l.V.) of 0.80 was thenformulated into a de- V was as foltergent composition as follows (allpercentages by weight):

DETERGENT FORMULATION Composition Active-sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate' 40% "Builder Sodium polyacrylate 0.5% Sodiumcarboxymethylcellulose (CMC) 6.0% Sodium Metasilicate 33.5% SodiumSulfate 100.0% Formulation Active 7.5g of 40% Sulframin 40 r I 3.0gActive Builder 183g of Polyacrylic Acid (4.6g Acid) 10.66r'nl of 6N NaoH(2.56g NaOH) These React to Give 6.0g of Builder CMC 0.075g SodiumMetasilicate 0.9g Sodium Sulfate-Sulframin 40 4.35g

Addition of 0.675g 5.025

Total Solid 15.05

Made up to 1 liter to give a 1.5% Solution 'Sulframin 40 sold by WitcoChemical Corp., Ultra Division "Builder Sequestrant The detergentformulation thus prepared was used in the following detergency testingprocedure:

' 1. 100 ml. of 1.5 percent detergent solution is diluted with 900 ml.of hard water to give a 0.15 percent detergent concentration fortesting. pH adjusted to 9.5 (if necessary) with sodium hydroxidesolution.

2. Hard water has 180 ppm of 2:1 calcium to magnesium.

3. Each pot of the Terg-o-Tometer* (*Trademark for apparatus sold by US.Testing Co.) is filled filled with 1 liter of the detergent solution.

4. Bath temperature, 120 F: 90 cycles/minute agitation.

EXAMPLE ll 7 Example 1, above, was repeated in every essential respectwith the exception that the builder-sequestrant concentration wasreduced from 40 to 20 percent, and the sodium sulfate concentrationincreased proportionately to maintain the percent total formulation. Theaverage AL (detergency value) was 36.

EXAMPLE III Example 11, above, was repeated in every essential respectwith the exception that the builder-sequestrant concentration wasreduced from 40 percent to 10 percent, and the sodium sulfateconcentration increased proportionately to maintain the 100 percenttotal formulation. The average AL (detergency value) was 34.

9 EXAMPLE 1v polyacrylate polymer (I.V. 1.21) at the concentrationsgiven in Examples I (40 percent), II (20 percent), and III percent), theresulting AL detergency value averages were, respectively, as follows:37, 33 and 28.

EXAMPLE V Examples I, II, and [11, above, were repeated in'everyessential respect with the exception that the Na,S,0 catalystconcentration used to polymerize acrylic acid was 1.3 grams in 60 cc. ofwater and the resulting polymer I.V. was 0.66. Using the correspondingsodium polyacrylate polymer (I.V. .66) at the concentrations given inExamples I (40 percent), II percent), and III (10 percent), theresulting AL detergency value averages were, respectively, as follows:36, 35 and 33.

EXAMPLE VI By comparison, each of Examples I, II and IlI,'above, wasrepeated using sodium tripolyphosp'hate (100 percent active) as thebuilder-sequestrant in lieu of sodium polyacrylate. At the 40 percent,20 percent and 10 percent concentrations (all other ingredients beingpresent in the concentrations given in Examples I, II and III, above),STPP gave AL detergency value averages of 36, 28 and 24, respectively.

EXAMPLE VII Example II, above, is repeated in every essential respectonly the 20 percent sodium polyacrylate builder-sequestrant was replacedwith a 20-percent concentration of builder-sequestrant made up of 2parts of STPP (100 percent active) and 1 part of the sodium polyacrylateof Example II. The AL detergency value average was 29.9.

sodium polyacrylate works better as a total substitute, rather than as apartial substitute, for sodium tripolyphosphate.

Furthermore, the AL values of STPP in Example VI vis-a-vis sodiumpolyacrylate AL values (Examples I, II, III) clearly favor the latterbuilder-sequestrants cleaning power.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference topreferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variationsand modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of thisinvention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appendedclaims.

.What is claimed is:

1. An essentially phosphate-free detergent composition in which theprincipal cleaning components are an Quite obviously, thebuilder-sequestrantsof the present invention manifest superior cleaningpower and are very effective, suprisingly enough, in a totallyphosphate-free formulation. In fact, as Example VII, above, clearlydemonstrates, particularly when its AL average is compared with that ofExample II, above,

nun

anionic or non-anionic detergent and an organic alkalinebuilder-sequestrant selected from alkali metal, ammonium or substitutedammonium polyacrylates having an inherent viscosity, in 2 normal sodiumhydroxide, in the range of about 0.30 to about 1.00, the detergentbeingpresent in a concentration of about 10 percent to about 30 percent,and the builder-sequestrant being present in a concentration of about 10percent to about 40 percent, said percentages being based on the totalweight of the composition.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the builder sequestrant is analkali metal polyacrylate.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the surfactant is selected fromnon-soap anionic and non-ionic surfactants.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the surfactant is present in theconcentration of about 15 to about 25 percent this range being based, byweight, on the total formulation weight.

5. An aqueous solution of the detergent composition of claim 1 whereinthe solution has a pH in the range of about 8 to about 12.5.

6. An aqueous solution of the detergent composition of claim 1 whereinthe solution has a pH in the range of about 9 to about 1 l.

7. The composition of claim 2 wherein the buildersequestrant is sodiumpolyacrylate.

8. The composition of claim 3 wherein the surfactant is an alkali metalalkylaryl sulfonate.

9. The composition of claim 8 wherein the surfactant is sodiumdodecylbenzene sulfonate.

Disclaimer 3,7 06,67 2.--P1'est0n Kuhn M m'tin, Fanwood, and Rz'chaml Haward Kelly, West Orange, NJ. DETERGENT POLYELEGTROLYTE BUILDERS. Patentda-ted Dec. 19, 1972. Disclaimer filed Aug. 12, 1974, by the assignee,Gelamese Uorpomtz'on. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1-9 ofsaid patent.

[Oficz'al Gazette April 1, 1975.]

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the builder sequestrant is analkali metal polyacrylate.
 3. The composition of claim 1 wherein thesurfactant is selected from non-soap anionic and non-ionic surfactants.4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the surfactant is present in theconcentration of about 15 to about 25 percent this range being based, byweight, on the total formulation weight.
 5. An aqueous solution of thedetergent composition of claim 1 wherein the solution has a pH in therange of about 8 to about 12.5.
 6. An aqueous solution of the detergentcomposition of claim 1 wherein the solution has a pH in the range ofabout 9 to about
 11. 7. The composition of claim 2 wherein thebuilder-sequestrant is sodium polyacrylate.
 8. The composition of claim3 wherein the surfactant is an alkali metal alkylaryl sulfonate.
 9. Thecomposition of claim 8 wherein the surfactant is sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate.